Retainer for a separated tear tab on a can

ABSTRACT

Spaced walls on the top of a can retain a separated tear tab on the can.

United States Patent Horst Dec. 9, 1975 [5 RETAINER FOR A SEPARATED TEAR TAB [56] References Cited ON A CAN UNITED STATES PATENTS [76] Inventor: Patricia J. Horst, 2610 Spring Creek 3,795,342 3/1974 Ashton 220/269 Road, Rockford, L 61107 3,847,300 11/1974 Waters 220/269 [22] Filed: 1975 Primary ExaminerGeorge T. Hall [21] Appl. N0.: 555,829 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-A. Richard Koch [52 U.S. C1. 220/269 [57] ABSTRACT 51 Im. Cl. B651) 17/20 Spaced Walls the of a can mam a separated [58] Field of Search 220/269; 222/541 tab the 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures us. Patent Dec.9,1975 3,924,776

RETAINER FOR A SEPARATED TEAR TAB ON A CAN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to means for retaining on a can a separated closure of the tear tab type.

A popular disposable can for beverages and the like has a scored line in one end forming a weakened section around an integral closure. A pull ring handle is affixed to the closure adjacent the scored line. When the ring is pulled, it lifts the attached portion of the closure and progressively tears it, in the form of a tab, from the remainder of the end along the scored line. The separated tear tab and the connected ring are habitually immediately discarded. They litter the ground where people congregate for recreation or relaxation. They substantially cover the beds of some streams and lakes where people fish or boat. The discarded tabs become an eye-sore. Being generally made of aluminum, they do not disintegrate, but remain where they are. Fish, attracted by the shiny tabs on the beds of streams and lakes, sometimes ingest them and die as a result. It creates problems about which little or nothing has been done. Some suggested solutions involve pressing the tab into the can, or dropping it in after it is torn off, but such solutions are unsanitary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of an unopened disposable can.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a tear tab after removal from a can.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an opened can with the tear tab retained according to this invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectionalviews of FIG. 3 along the lines 44 and 55 respectively.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 7 along line 6-6.

FIG. 7 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, the top 10 of a can has an integral closure 11 surrounded by a weakened section defining a tear line 12. A handle 13, shown as a ring, is affixed to the closure, as by a rivet 14. When the handle is pulled outwardly from the top, the closure or tab will be progressively severed from the top along the tear line in well-known fashion, taking on a curved shape, as in FIG. 2, and leaving an opening 15 in the top, as seen in FIG. 3.

The improvement comprises the formation in the top 10 of a pair of opposed walls 17, 18 spaced apart to receive therebetween at least a portion of the tab 1 1, which originally formed the closure. as shown in FIGS. 37.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the sidewalls are formed by a depression 19 in the top. The sidewalls have overhanging outer portions 21, 22, beneath which the tab 11 is retained when pressed downward past them, as by a finger 23, or when drawn lengthwise beneath them, the overhanging portions being spaced somewhat closer together than the width of the retained tab. If the walls converge toward each other, as in FIG. 3, the tab may be prevented from falling out of the depression by an end wall 24 engaging the end of the tab, or by bending the handle 13 down over the edge 25 of the can. Both are shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 discloses a modified embodiment in which the opposed walls 27, 28 are formed by protrusions 29, 30 extending outwardly from an end 31 of a can. As shown in FIG. 7, the walls 27, 28 are parallel and spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the smallest dimension D between parallel tangents T to the oval-shaped tear line 32 defining the integral closure that became tab 33. The walls are shown in FIG. 6 as parallel planes retaining tab 33 therebetween by friction.

Although the embodiments disclosed concern retension means formed in the end of a cylindrical can, the invention is equally applicable to cans of other configurations and to retention means formed on sides of cans. The scope of this invention is defined by the claims rather than by the description.

I claim:

1. A can having an integral closure surrounded by a weakened section defining a tear line and a handle affixed to said closure adjacent the tear line, whereby the closure may be separated from the can along said tear line by pulling on the handle, the invention comprising a pair of spaced opposed walls on the exterior of said can, said walls shaped to receive and retain therebetween the closure separated from said can.

2. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls form sides of a depression in said can.

3. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls comprise sides of protrusions formed on said can.

4. A can according to claim 1 wherein outer portions of said walls overhang inner portions of said walls to retain the closure beneath said overhanging portions.

5. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls are substantially parallel planes spaced to frictionally retain the closure therebetween.

6. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls converge.

7. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls con verge adjacent an edge of said can such that the separated closure may be drawn between said walls and retained therebetween by bending the handle down over the edge.

8. A can according to claim 1 additionally comprising a third wall positioned to cooperate with said pair of walls to retain the separated closure. 

1. A can having an integral closure surrounded by a weakened section defining a tear line and a handle affixed to said closure adjacent the tear line, whereby the closure may be separated from the can along said tear line by pulling on the handle, the invention comprising a pair of spaced opposed walls on the exterior of said can, said walls shaped to receive and retain therebetween the closure separated from said can.
 2. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls form sides of a depression in said can.
 3. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls comprise sides of protrusions formed on said can.
 4. A can according to claim 1 wherein outer portions of said walls overhang inner portions of said walls to retain the closure beneath said overhanging portions.
 5. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls are substantially parallel planes spaced to frictionally retain the closure therebetween.
 6. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls converge.
 7. A can according to claim 1 wherein the walls converge adjacent an edge of said can such that the separated closure may be drawn between said walls and retained therebetween by bending the handle down over the edge.
 8. A can according to claim 1 additionally comprising a third wall positioned to cooperate with said pair of walls to retain the separated closure. 